Merry Christmas!

We hope your lawns & homes are filled with family & friends this week as you celebrate Christmas with those you love.

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” – Matthew 1:23

Merry Christmas!

Lorne Hall & Tom Stewart

Hall | Stewart

Fall... the absolute best time to establish fescue!

In early August, we visited about The Reasons For A Fescue Lawn.

Last week, in our September Lawn & Landscape Tips we discussed Fescue Overseeding.

Why so much focus on establishing fescue?

Because,

• if you have areas of your lawn where the bermuda has thinned because of shade…

• Or, you already have fescue…

• Or, you want to have a green lawn longer into the fall and earlier in the winter…

It is very important that you take advantage of the next few weeks and overseed with fescue!  Today through October is the absolute best window to establish fescue.   

If you wait until spring to seed fescue, you are doing it at the second-best time and there is an enormous chasm between the establishment of seeding now (the best time) and seeding in the spring (the second-best time).

Don’t settle for second best results.  Follow these four steps to have a great fescue lawn:

1.     Evaluate Your Turf.  Bermuda needs at least 8 hours of direct sunlight for best performance.  Less than 8 hours and it starts to thin.  Bermuda greens up very slow in the spring with the less direct sunlight it receives.    As your trees mature, and your neighbor’s trees, your turf is getting less and less direct light. 

Fescue will perform much better in dappled or partial shade than bermuda. 

Resist the belief that if you trim the limbs up higher and the bermuda will do better.  It won’t — thick bermuda requires direct sunlight. 

Also, don’t think of fescue as only a shade grass.  Fescue will grow in full sun.  Yes, in July and August, in full sun it will show some stress (fescue’s off season).  But, you will have a green lawn long after bermuda has gone dormant and you will have a green lawn earlier in the spring.  You can’t beat the appearance of fescue from March through June and again September through December.

If your lawn receives less than 8 hours of direct sun light every day, then fescue is your best choice for a great lawn.

2.     Good Seed Source.  When selecting the type of grass, a blend is best.  Blends are a combination of two or more varieties within the same species, such as two or more fescues in one mix.  Blends are a combination of the best species, tested over time, for the best shade tolerance and disease resistance. The number one problem with fescue is brown patch disease.  The best blends use fescue varieties that show strong resistance to brown patch.  Also, some blends will contain bluegrass and, or rye for even more vibrant spring color. 

 Oklahoma State University conducts annual research on cool season turf.  It is always best to purchase a blend that contains varieties that have performed well in their trials.

Our primary seed this fall is Go Thunder Blend.  It is a mixture of Supersonic Tall Fescue, Titanium 2LS Tall Fescue, Firecracker SLS Tall Fescue, 4th Millennium SRP Tall Fescue, Fastball RGL Perennial Ryegrass, and Legend Kentucky Bluegrass.

3.     Good Seed to Soil Contact is Critical.  Start with cutting the existing turf short to remove excess grass, then loosen the soil to create good seed to soil contact.   

Aeration is the best method to gain good seed to soil contact.  Aerating also gives you the extra benefit of improving the soil structure, increasing water absorption, and developing deeper roots. 

If overseeding an existing fescue area with a good strand of grass, spread seed at a rate of 5-8 pounds per 1,000 square feet. If establishing a new fescue lawn, spread seed at a rate of 10-12 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

A great way to have good seed to soil contact is through aeration. And you gain the benefits of an improved soil structure at the same time.

Fescue lawn cut short before seeding.

Keeping the seed tacky moist until it germinates is critical to successful fescue seeding.

4.     Keep the Area Tacky Moist Until Seed Germinates.   The first three steps are critical for success. But, you can get the first three correct and have complete failure if the seeded area is not kept moist until new grass is visible in the entire area.

For the best success, set your irrigation to run 3 short cycles per day.  Set spray type zones to run 5 minutes each time.  Set rotor type zones to run 10 minutes each time.  If possible, set the system to run before dawn (4:00 AM), late morning (10:00 AM), and mid-afternoon (4:00 PM). 

You don’t have to have an irrigation system to establish fescue.  You only need to be diligent at watering every morning and every evening.   

The most damaging thing you can do to germinating seed is to allow the seed to dry out between watering. 

Typically, you will see some grass coming up within 10 days and a good stand in 14.  Check the seeded area every few days to see how the seed is progressing.  Adjust water if you see areas getting too dry.  If you do not have a good start within 14 days, apply more seed. 

At 14 days, if you have a good stand of seed, resume normal mowing and watering habits. 

Fescue lawn 2-3 weeks after seeding.

Don’t let the best time to seed fescue slip past you this fall!

If you need assistance in establishing a fescue lawn, have questions about fescue, or would like to get on our overseeding schedule, give us call – (405) 367-3873. 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

Ornamental Grasses... adding interest to your late summer & fall landscape!

Some of the best late season, dramatic landscape scenes include ornamental grasses. 

Ornamental grasses can be used as borders, planted in small groupings, mass planted, or as a single specimen to add interest.

Most grasses are very adaptable to heat, drought and humidly.  They also grow in most soils.

There are both cool season and warm season ornamental grasses.  Cool or warm season refer to the time of the season they bloom.  Cool season start growing earlier in the spring and look stunning in early summer.  But, warm season grasses emerge later in the spring and add interest to the landscape as they flower in late summer to fall.

Ornamental grasses require little maintenance, needing attention only once per year.  Grasses do best if 1/3 of their dormant top is removed in early spring before new leaf blades emerge.

There are too many varieties of ornamental grasses to cover them all, but here are just a few favorites:

Pink Muhly Grass – Pinkish-purple lacy plumes in the late summer to fall. As a warm season grass it is often one of the last to start to grow in the spring and one of the later bloomers.  Pink Muhly grows in full sun to partial shade and reaches 3-4’ in height.

Maiden Grass – Slender blades with creamy white to shimmering silver small plumes.  5-6’ tall.  Plant in partial to full sun.

Blue Grama Grass – Native grass with golden summer flower on stiff stems.  Great for adding texture to the landscape.  Plant in full to partial shade.  Once established this grass does not require much water.  Grows about 3’ tall.

Little Bluestem – Blue to pink to burgundy hues in the late summer and rich copper tones in the fall.  Requires full sun.  A native grass that is loved by birds.  Grows 3-4’ tall.

Switch Grass – An Oklahoma Proven perennial grass that grows in full sun to partial shade.  It has lacy sprays with a purplish cast in the fall.  There are several cultivars and great used as a single accent or in groups.  Reaches 6’.

Mexican Feather Grass – Another Oklahoma Proven grass with a feather like, graceful fine texture and silver flowers.  Best grown in a grouping in full sun to partial shade.  It prefers well drained soil and is very drought tolerant once established.  Different from most grasses in that it prefers to not be cut back in the spring. Only grows 2-3’.

All Gold Japanese Forest Grass – Best planted in shade to partial shade, the light green color is a great accent to dark green shrubs in a shade garden.  Grows 1-2’ with a cascading habit.  Requires rich, loamy soil and does not do well in tight, clay soils. 

Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass – One of the most common cool season grasses with reddish bronze plumes in early to mid-summer.  Grows 4-6’ tall in full to partial sun. 

Fountain Grass – Graceful arching shaped grass that will reach 5’ with tuffs of green seed heads on rich green grass blades.  Little Bunny, a dwarf variety, only reaches 1-2’.  Little Bunny is great for borders and smaller landscapes.  Grows in full to partial sun.

Zebra Grass – A great accent grass with bands of yellow on green foliage.  Grows 4-5’ tall in full to partial sun.

Purple Fountain Grass – An annual ornamental grass (does not come back next season) with rich dark purple color.  It reaches 3-4’ tall and looks great planted as a single accent plant with yellow or pink summer annual flowers. 

Blue Fescue – A small silvery-blue grass that makes a great boarder or mass planting.  Prefers well drained soil in full sun.  Only reaches 12”.

Dwarf Pampas Grass – Don’t let “dwarf” fool you, this grass reaches 4-5’.  One of the most common ornamental grasses with large, showy white plumes in late summer.  Giant Pampas Grass can reach 10’ and best used as a screen in large landscapes.

A couple of good sources for more information on ornamental grasses: growbeautifully.monrovia.com & oklahomaproven.org!

What are your favorite ornamental grasses? 

We would enjoy hearing your success stories.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn & Landscape

Fescue in the off season!

All turf grasses have an offseason.  A season when they are not at their prime.  For warm season grasses, it is the winter.  No one expects their bermuda lawn to be green and actively growing in January.  Everyone understands that it is dormant.

What about a cool season turf?  When is fescue’s off season?  

Fescue is at its best in the spring and fall, often has greenish-brown freeze burnt leaves in the dead of winter but goes through an off season during July and August when temperatures average 90 plus.

One of the advantages of fescue, when best practices are followed, is it will keep good color during its off season, unlike bermuda.  Bermuda will always have more color than fescue in July and August, but March through early June and September into December, you can’t beat the greens of a fescue lawn.  

Bermuda is the dominate turf in our region, but it doesn’t grow in shade.  Fescue is the preferred turf for shady areas.  Gracefully aging neighborhoods in the Oklahoma City area are full of mature trees and lawns that have transitioned from bermuda to fescue.  Every homeowner eventually must face the need for fescue in their landscape. 

How do you keep a fescue lawn looking its best in the summer heat? 

Let’s run through a list of best and worst practices for fescue during its off season.

Best practices for keeping fescue looking good during July and August:

• Mow fescue at 3” – 3 ½”.  The more leaf space the better color and the more draught tolerant the lawn will be.

• Water deep.  Water infrequent.  Water in the early morning.  Fescue lawns that are receiving 1 ½” of moisture per week, on an every other day schedule, only in the early morning, look the best in the heat of summer. 

• Fescue lawns that receive at least some dappled sunlight look the best during the summer heat.

Fescue lawn with dappled sunshine.

• Fescue lawns that are aerated in the fall have stronger root systems and can better withstand hot, dry days.

Fescue when watered and mowed properly in full sun in the heat of the summer.

Worst practices for fescue during the summer heat:

• Fescue cut too short.  Remember leaf blades store moisture the plant needs to withstand the summer heat.

• Stop watering twice per day, morning and evening, every day.  Short and frequent watering does far more harm than good.  It is a myth that fescue needs to be kept wet during the summer heat.  When temperatures are hot and fescue stays consistently wet for more than 6 hours at a time, brown patch will damage the turf.  When brown patch starts spreading in a fescue lawn it looks like the lawn needs more water.  The natural response is to water more which makes the problem worse.  On most site visits I made in the past two weeks where customers were concerned about their fescue, I discovered brown patch was the problem.  In each case the homeowner had increased watering to two times per day, morning and evening, every day.

Brown patch in fescue.

Fescue with a mild case of brown patch.

• Heavy shade and low air circulation.  Fescue performs best if it receives some light every day.  Fescue will tolerate more sun than most realize and does well in full sun when it is watered and mowed properly.  Air circulation plays the important role of drying the leaf blades between watering cycles.  Small backyards, with wood fences, and heavy shade are the hardest on fescue in July and August.

Drought stressed fescue.

• Tight clay soil that has never been aerated result in shallow rooted fescue that will struggle in the heat.

Fescue seeded over Bermuda in full sun in the heat of the year.

Fescue in full to dappled sun in July.

During fescue’s offseason take a stroll around your lawn and start planning for the fall.  The cooler days of September will be here soon.

Do you need to make some changes to how you are mowing and watering your fescue?

Are you trying to grow fescue in full shade, in a location where there is little wind movement?  If so, can you improve the conditions, or should you consider transitioning to a shade tolerant ground cover?

If your fescue didn’t perform well due to the excessive moisture and high humidity of the early summer, or if it has struggled with brown patch in the heat, start making plans to overseed this fall. 

Do you have areas of the lawn that are becoming too shady for bermuda?  Bermuda starts to thin anywhere it does not get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight every day.   Is this the fall to start establishing fescue in those areas?

Whether you have a full fescue lawn or just some fescue in shady areas, don’t fret, fescue’s best season is just a few weeks away!

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

What can your lawn do for you?

In the race to reduce carbon output and conserve water, many have forgotten the long list of benefits of a healthy lawn.  Concerns over water supplies, herbicides, pollutants, and your carbon footprint have caused some to race toward a more minimalist approach to landscapes and lawns. 

Over the past few years the media joined the war against the landscape with articles such as “The Life and Death of the American Lawn.  Grasses – green, neatly trimmed, symbols of civic virtue – shaped the national landscape. They have now outlived their purpose.” 

One of the hottest trends is the replacement of natural grass with landscape gravel or artificial turf.  Both have their place, but not at the expense of a healthy landscape of plants, trees, and turf.   

Is it good for the environment when living plants are replaced with artificial materials? Yes, water will be saved.  Yes, there will be less fertilizer used.  But, is there more to consider?

Can replacing a living plants with artificial materials really be a net positive for the environment?  

When it comes to the benefits of turf grass most people don’t give it much thought.  The environmental benefits of a healthy lawn are seldom considered. Most would have a hard time answering the question, “What is your lawn doing for you?” 

Let’s explore a few reasons why a healthy landscape is important to our environment:

Turfgrass captures carbon.

Healthy lawns absorb carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen.

The average, managed lawn, captures more carbon than a lawnmower produces. The average lawn captures 300 lbs. of carbon per year and has a net positive impact on our environment. 

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A 2,500 sq. ft lawn, half the size of the average lawn, provides enough oxygen for a family of four. 

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What is a managed lawn?  A lawn that receives regular mowing, and some fertilizer and weed control applications.  Maintaining a healthy turfgrass environment provides us with a critical component of a healthy world – less carbon.  An Ohio State study found lawns that received only an occasional mowing and no fertilizer or weed control captured far less carbon.   

Maintenance habits have a big influence on whether turfgrass helps or hurts the environment. Lawns cut too short typically create a negative carbon exchange.  Weedy lawns, nutrient deficient lawns, and drought stress lawns result in thin lawns that have a negative impact on the environment.    

Actively growing and healthy landscapes can provide benefits of heat reduction.

Trees, shrubs, and lawn areas around homes can reduce air temperatures on the average 15 degrees compared to concrete, asphalt or gravel.

Studies estimate that improved planting and maintenance of lawns and landscapes could reduce total US air conditioning requires by 25%.  Grass cools the air by absorbing solar radiation and through evapotranspiration.

A healthy turf slows water runoff reducing erosion and therefore reducing sediment build up and improves the quality of streams, ponds, and lakes.

Less runoff increases infiltration of water into the groundwater supply.  A dense root system traps and removes pollutants moving through the soil and into the water supply.  The natural filtration system of healthy turfgrass improves water quality.

Turfgrass is more effective at stopping erosion than any other plant.  Grass naturally slows runoff and allows more water to be absorbed.  Also, grass is a natural water purifier.

Lawns are a major component of higher home values.

Smart Money reported consumers value a home with a well maintained lawn and landscape on the average 11.3% over the base value. 

Healthy lawns improve air quality by trapping dust and allergens.   

Dense turf reduces the blowing of soil particles.  Also, it only takes 25 sq. ft. of turfgrass to provide enough oxygen for one adult for one day.

Great lawns benefit the community and human health.

Green areas enhance community pride, provide places for people to come together and promotes outdoor activity.  Research shows the result is improved physical and mental health and reduced stress.

The belief that well maintained lawns are an environmental liability are short-sighted.  Water concerns are legitimate.  Overwatering lawns and excessive use of fertilizers and herbicides drive much of the concern.  Education on proper watering, maintenance, fertilizer, and herbicide use is important.

A scientific study “The Role of Turfgrasses in Environmental Protection and Their Benefits to Humans” concluded that there is no valid scientific basis for water restrictions of turfgrass.  The report stated, “the main cause for excessive landscape water use in most situations is the human factor.”

James Beard, Professor Emeritus of Texas A&M, said, “The environmental benefits of turfgrass are the most sensible and economically feasible approach to counter the greenhouse effect.”

So, what has your lawn done for you lately?  “More than you can imagine!”

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn & Landscape

Crape Myrtle - Summer's Biggest Show!

This week marked the longest day of the year, the first day of summer, and the start of Crape Myrtle season. 

Most blooming trees and shrubs last for only a few days or a couple of weeks.  But the crape myrtle holds the distinction of being our longest blooming shrub or tree.  Typically, the crape myrtle starts adding color to the landscape in mid-June and doesn’t stop until the first frost.  This year, due to the cooler than normal start to the summer, the crape myrtle hasn’t started to put on their summer show yet but will in the next couple of weeks.   

This past week, I was fortunate to spend a few days in Charleston, South Carolina, the first place the French planted crape myrtles in the United States.  One of our favorite activities of the week was a morning walk through Charleston’s crape myrtle lined streets. 

There are over 50 varieties of crape myrtles and new ones are introduced every year.  They are found throughout the southern US and perform well anywhere south of USDA zone 6. 

Crape myrtle Sizes

Standard Crape Myrtles - When allowed to grow as a small tree will reach up to 25’ in our region and require little maintenance. Simply remove any dead wood from the tips of the branches in the spring and let the plant go for the season. They can be grown as a single trunk or a multitrunked tree.

Semi-dwarf Crape Myrtles - Typically grow 8-12’ tall and make an excellent colorful screen when grown in a row.

Dwarf Crape Myrtles - Grow only 2-4’ tall, are small and mounding, and ideal for a landscape bed where you want a splash of summer color.

Selecting the right sized plant is important. Crape myrtles are at their best when they can grow to their natural shape and size. Constant pruning on the wrong size plant to keep it in a space it was not meant to fit will reduce the summer blooms.

Crape Myrtle Colors – The color pallet ranges from white, pink, purple and red.  Bloom color is not the only attribute of a crape myrtle.  Their foliage ranges from dark green, wine colored, velvet and dark purple. The combination of the bloom and foliage colors is one of the things that attracts me to the plant.

I am most fond of the large, full sized, tree formed crapemyrtles.  It is hard to narrow my list of favorite crapemyrtles, and my list often changes, but these are just a few of my current favorites:

Pink Velour – Large 12-15’ small tree form with dark wine foliage and bright pink flowers. The foliage and flower combination are very striking.

Dynamite – Also a small tree that grows up to 15’. Dynamite was one of the first red tree form varieties. New foliage is nearly crimson in color and changes to a rich green as it matures. Flowers are brilliant red.

Natchez – One of the largest tree form crape myrtles reaching 25’. Foliage is rich green, and flowers are white. The cinnamon brown bark puts on a show of its own as it exfoliates.

Ebony Flame – A great accent plant that grows 10-12’ with dark red blooms on intense black foliage.

One of the nation’s leading innovators of crape myrtles is Oklahoma’s own, Dr. Carl Whitcomb. Dr. Whitcomb holds 32 patents and has authored five books including Know It and Grow It, a book every landscape enthusiast should own. You can see all of Dr. Whitcomb’s crape myrtles by following this link: http://drcarlwhitcomb.com/Patented_Plants.html

Crape Myrtle Bark – One of the most overlooked aspects of the plant is the bark. The bark is smooth and ranges in color from pink to gray. As the plant matures, the thin bark exfoliates to expose a different color underneath. Too often, tree form crape myrtles are severely pruned every spring and we never get to enjoy the beautiful bark of the mature plant.

Crape Myrtle Fall Color – Another overlooked characteristic of the plant is the fall color. Varieties range from yellow to red. Much of our fall color is found in larger trees. Crape myrtles add fall color to the landscape below the color of the large trees.

I would challenge anyone to find another plant that offers so many features to the landscape.  From the long bloom, the variety of colors, the many shapes and sizes, and the addition of exfoliating bark and good fall color, you can’t deny the crape myrtle a place in your landscape.

Lorne Hall

Hall Stewart Lawn + Landscape

When rain is no longer helpful...

Our goal is to keep you informed of lawn and landscape issues we are experiencing each week as we visit sites in the Oklahoma City area.  I’m sure it is no surprise to you that we are starting to see plant problems related to the excessive amount of rainfall we are receiving.

Normal annual rainfall for the Oklahoma City area is 36.5”.  In the past 365 days, the metro area has received nearly 54”.  In the last 30 days, 12.5” has fallen with 6” in the last week.

It is common for us to be discussing watering tips as we head into the summer.  I have only one watering tip today – turn your irrigation system off!  Early this morning I witnessed 3 irrigation systems running in my neighborhood alone.  Established plant materials – lawns, shrubs, trees, flowers – are showing signs of over watering stress.

Roots are the foundation to a healthy plant.  They are the primary source of water, nutrients, and oxygen.  Yes, oxygen.  Plants breath through their root system.  Plants, just like humans, can drown when water replaces air. 

So, why is it common for so many to water more when a plant is struggling because of too much water?  Plants respond in very similar ways to draught and too much water.  The first symptom of too much water is yellowing leaves followed by wilting.  The wilting leaves, whether it is too much or too little water, look nearly the same.  When you see wilting leaves, you must stop and think about the conditions and check the soil.

For example:  A couple of weeks ago I planted a tropical hibiscus in a patio pot.  This week I noticed it was wilting, grabbed a pitcher full of water and headed out the door to water it, all the while wondering why it would be dry.  What I discovered was a plant sitting in water because of clogged drain holes.  Either way, the hibiscus was wilting.  The same is true about your lawn, your flowers, your shrubs and your trees.  It is just a lot easier to diagnose when it’s in a container.

Here are a few problems we noticed this week:

Photinia Leaf Spot – A fungal disease that is common on photinia even in dryer periods but is rampant in cool periods with a lot of rainfall. It is hard to control and requires repeated applications of a fungicide in the spring and the fall. Once a plant develops the disease, it typically returns each season. Photinia are best planted in full sun areas with good air circulation. Many seasons in Oklahoma we can get away with planting them in partial shade and tight areas, but then you have a May like this year, and you remember why the experts said not to plant it where you did. Or, it could just be that your landscape has matured and now it finds itself in a less than ideal spot.

Yew – A plant that is notorious for quickly yellowing and dying in wet or waterlogged soil.  They can be temperamental, but given the right conditions with moist, but well drained soil, they do well.  They won’t tolerate waterlogged soils and this spring many are finding they are in just too wet of soil.  As with many shrubs, the first signs of yellowing suggest too much water.

Annual Color – It is always best to wait until May to plant seasonal color varieties that thrive in the summer heat. May is the month when soil temperatures are warm enough for them to establish roots for the summer. But, the best annuals for surviving the summer heat don’t like saturated soils. We are seeing periwinkle (annual vinca) with yellowing leaves. Penta, known for its tough nature in a draught, struggling to get established because of root rot. Lantana, maybe the best in hot, sunny, draught prone locations, struggling in wet soils.

Xeriscape – Selecting more draught tolerant plants has become more and more popular. Overall, I think it is a good idea - in the right location. But, yucca and many other xeriscape favorites, are having a rough start to the year. These plant selections don’t need particularly great soil, but they do need to have good drainage and be soil that stays on the dryer side.

Bermuda Lawns – Large patch is a fungal disease that is a problem in cool, wet spring weather. This has been a perfect season for it to develop with the excess rainfall and temps that have lagged. It starts as a small area with leaf blades that appear light in color with some orange-bronze spots, and it gradually spreads to larger patches. We have noticed it more in poor drainage areas and in tight soil conditions. The best solution is for temperatures to consistently stay in the 70’s at night. After the lawn has improved in June, aerating would help with soil structure and drainage.

Fescue Brown Patch – This is fescue’s biggest problem. It is closely related to large patch, but only it causes problems on cool season turf instead of warm season. Also, the disease starts when it is hot and wet, instead of cool and wet. When nighttime temperatures are consistently in the 70’s and the fescue leaves stay wet more than 8 hours per day, brown patch grows. It is almost a given that your fescue will struggle if you have poor soil drainage, low air movement because of structures or landscape plantings, dense shade, heavy morning dew several days in a row, over watering or too much rain, or if you water in the evening. If you have a fescue lawn, the best thing that could happen until we dry out is for temps to remain mild – the exact opposite of what we need for bermuda. Don’t help the disease out by watering – leave the irrigation off. Mow your lawn around 3-3.5”. Too short and too tall will promote the problem. When it is time to start watering again, water in the early morning only, and not every day. Leaf blades must have time to dry completely. Aeration every fall on fescue lawns will improve soil drainage.

Much of what we discussed today are climate issues we can’t control.  But, the excessive rainfall has reminded me why a few things are very important:

1.     Water based only on need.  Too much water damages plant roots.

2.     Always plant a little above grade so that excess water will move away from the plant.     

3.     Select the right plants for the right location.  This is more than just sun or shade.  It includes soil type and water requirements.

Remember – the most common problem of plant stress is unhealthy roots.  This applies to lawns, flowers, trees and shrubs.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Oklahoma's State Tree is really showing off this week!

There are two things you can count on in early April – the redbud trees will be putting on a show and I will be talking about the them. 

Our goal for our weekly email is to discuss what we are seeing in the lawn and landscapes we visit.  The Oklahoma State Tree, Cercis Canadensis, Redbud, has been creating a lot of attention this week.

Michael Dirr, easily considered America’s leading woody plant expert, wrote in his textbook Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs about Redbuds: “No equal, no competitor, can be found among small flowering landscape trees – the stage is reserved for this native species.” 

I agree!

Eastern Redbuds are native to the Eastern US from Massachusetts to Florida extending west to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.  In the native landscape, you typically see them as understory trees in wooded areas.  In late March or early April, you can’t miss them.  Their pink to lavender flowers brighten the landscape before leaves bud on most trees.  They grow in full sun and partial shade.  They tolerate clay, loam and sandy soils.  They adapt to a wide range of soil pH as well as soil moisture. 
 
But, the native Eastern Redbud has it shortcomings.  During the summer, the leaves are a disappointment in Oklahoma.  The hot winds of July and August leave the native Redbud leaves tattered and bruised. 

Thankfully, Oklahoma has an answer to the Eastern Redbud – the ‘Oklahoma’ Redbud, Cercis Canadensis var. texensis ‘Oklahoma’.

The ‘Oklahoma’ Redbud has a deeper purple color bloom and a waxy, thick, dark green, heart-shaped leaf.  The ‘Oklahoma’ is far richer in color in the spring and carries beautiful foliage through the hottest of summers.  In the fall, the leaves turn golden yellow. 
 
‘Oklahoma’ Redbuds can be used in every imaginable landscape application.  They are excellent lawn trees.  They are dynamic in groupings.  And they add interest to landscape beds. 
 
Redbuds grow 15-18’ tall and have a spread of 15’ at maturity.  Their small tree nature tends to produce a low branching, rounded top-growing pattern. 
 
The Redbud rooting pattern can lead to difficulty in transplanting.  If selecting a balled and burlap tree, it is best if the tree is harvested and replanted during the dormant season.  A good size to start with is a 1.5” to 2” caliper tree.  If you are planting a Redbud during the growing season, I would recommend purchasing a container grown tree, as there is less transplant shock. 
 
Other varieties of Redbud include:

• 'Merlot' is a new hybrid with dark foliage similar to the 'forest pansy' but has glossier leaves that take the summer heat similar to the 'Oklahoma' redbud.  

• 'Lavender Twist' is a weeping redbud with rosy-pink flowers.  The umbrella branching pattern only reaches 5-6' tall making it a good specimen for a focal point in the landscape.  

• ‘Forest Pansy’ which has a shimmering, reddish-purple leaf.  This Redbud is a real winner in the spring.  But, in the early summer the leaves fade worse than the Eastern Redbud leaves.  If you decide to try this variety, select a place in your landscape where the tree will be shielded from the hot west sun and southern winds.

• 'Avondale' is a little smaller reaching only 10-12' in height and width.  It is one of the most profuse flowering redbuds with very showy dark rose-purple flowers.  It also has a glossy, heart-shaped leaf.

• Texas Whitebud’ is a white blooming variety of the ‘Oklahoma’.  It also has waxy, dark green leaves through the summer.

One final reason why I think the Redbud is one of our best trees - It blooms only on the old wood! Stop and look at one. You will notice that the last 6-12” of each branch doesn’t have any blooms. All of last year’s growth is void of color. All the color is on the two-year and older wood, occasionally even the trunk will bloom. Typically, trees and shrubs bloom on the end of the branches. Early blooming plants bloom on the growth from last year. Summer bloomers, such as the Crape Myrtle, bloom on the new growth from the spring. The Redbud is unique in only blooming on old wood.

Jim Paluch in his book, Leaving a Legacy, tells the story of seven senior citizens who discover the magic of the Redbud blooming only on old wood. They were inspired to not spend their later years withering away. They asked, “If a Redbud can bloom on its old wood, why can’t we?” The seven men struck out to make a difference in their community during their elder years.

Oklahoma couldn’t have selected a better all-around tree for the state tree.  There is no better small flowering tree than the Redbud, especially the ‘Oklahoma’ Redbud.

Take a walk around your neighborhood, go on a bike ride, or take a drive.  You are sure to find redbuds along your route adding a bright splash of color to the spring landscape. 

Lorne Hall

What says, "it's spring!" to you?

My definition of anticipation – waiting for the spring landscape to burst with color!

This week was the week I have been waiting for since the first cool freeze last fall.  Warmer days, fewer nights in the 30’s, and longer days have yielded fescue lawns turning greener every day, trees with swelling buds, and shrubs adding color to the landscape. 

I love spring!   

This time of year it is common for me to see a plant bursting with color and declare it to be my favorite plant.  Only to declare a new favorite the next day. 

Since I don’t have the time to write about all my favorites and you don’t have the time to read about them, I have narrowed the list to three spring favorite perennials, three shrubs, and three trees.

PERENNIALS

Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera). The first to welcome spring each year. Creeping phlox produces a spring-like carpet in pastel hues of white, lavender, red and pink. Creeping phlox is a moderate grower that can spread up to 2’ but only reaches 4-6” in height. It requires full sun, but will tolerate a couple hours of shade each day. Borders, walls, and around boulders are where it looks best. In my garden, you will find it cascading over a rock retaining wall. It tolerates most soils as long as it is well drained. The plant requires little maintenance. Mites are about the only insect problem it will have.

Dianthus (Dianthus). It works well as a border, in small groupings, around boulders or as a single plant reaching 10-15” tall with a spread of 12-24”. They bloom in late spring in rose, pink, white, red. They like full sun but will take some dappled shade or afternoon shade. Just like creeping phlox, they are a cool season lover. They will grow in most soils, but prefer alkaline soils — waterlogged soil will cause crown and root rot. Heavy mulching near the crown of the plant can be detrimental. Late March and into May is the peak bloom time. Light feeding in the spring with a complete fertilizer of phosphorus, potassium and low nitrogen is recommended. Other an occasional aphid or powdery mildew issue, they do not have many problems. There are more than 300 varieties of dianthus to choose from. My all-time favorite is ‘Firewitch’. It has a silver-green foliage and with a vibrant pink bloom.

SHRUBS

Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia ‘Lynwood’). Best grown as a specimen shrub where it can show off its naturally stunning shape. Forsythia’s brilliant yellow flowers are the first to welcome spring. It performs best planted in full sun and will grow in partial shade, only with less spring blooms. It is considered a fast grower. Forsythia adapts well to most soils but prefers well drained. It rarely has an insect or disease problem. Pruning should only occur after spring blooms fade. If you prune later in the year you will reduce blooms the following spring. The best way to prune this shrub is to remove older wood all the way to the base of the shrub. Traditional forsythia will grow to 6-8’ with an 8’ spread and are well suited for large lawns. If you have a smaller yard, look for one of the newer varieties, such as Gold Tide (Forsythia ‘Courtasol’), a dwarf variety that only reaches 2’ high and spreads to 4’.

Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei). A medium sized shrub with arching branches covered with an abundance of white cascading flowers in mid spring. It is a very hardy, heirloom shrub, with no specific pest issues that thrives in well drained soils. It attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. To preserve the natural arching shape, avoid sheering — but if pruning is needed, it is best done in the spring after blooms fade. It looks stunning planted in full sun to partial shade in front of darker structures or large hollies. Spiraea nipponica ‘Snow mound’ is another great variety.

TREES

Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texenis ‘Oklahoma’). My all-time favorite “Welcome to spring” plant. (You can expect me to dedicate an entire email to this tree every spring!) Reddish-purple blooms appear on branches before leaves appear. The ‘Oklahoma’ variety was discovered in the Arbuckle Mountains and know for its glossy, heart shaped, green leaves in the summer. It grows to 15’-20’. Prefers full sun but does well as an understory tree in dabbled shade.

‘May Night’ Salvia (Salvia x sylvestris). Sage type flower spikes of deep bluish-purple that will add color in April, May and early June. The best flower show will be in full sun, but it will tolerate a little dappled shade each day. The plant grows 12-18” tall with flower spikes reach 24”. The plant looks great in the middle of the garden planted behind creeping phlox or dianthus, and in front of Shasta daisy or Black-eyed Susan. The leaves often become tattered later in the summer and dormant over the winter. Remove faded blooms to maximize bloom period and pruning the plants after blooming may result in a few fall blooms. In the early spring, before new growth emerges, remove the dormant foliage. Salvia tolerates clay soils but will struggle with root rot if the soil stays saturated.

Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles japonica “Texas Scarlet’). Another early bloomer known for adding splashes of red to the landscape. It also performs best in full sun and tolerates partial shade but with fewer blossoms. Considered a moderate grower and mid-sized shrub, most varieties reach 4-5’. It does best if planted where it can grow to its natural size and shape. If pruning is required, only prune in the spring after blooms have faded. Flowering Quince is loved by butterflies and hummingbirds. The plant is very draught tolerant once it is established and it will tolerate most soils, but like most plants would enjoy well drained areas. Another variety, Chaenomeles speciossa Double Take Series has blooms that resemble camellias.

Crabapple (Malus ‘Prairifire). There are many varieties of crabapples, but ‘Prairifire’ is one of the best. It was the Oklahoma Proven Tree of the Year in 2007. It is disease resistant and not phased by most of the problems with crabapples. Flowers of rose-pink cover the tree as soon as leaves emerge. Young leaves go from purple-red to dark green as they mature. Branches have red fruit in the winter. Mature, 20-25’, trees have a rounded top. Plant in full sun as a specimen tree or in a grouping. Water extra during periods of extreme heat or draught.

Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana). A specimen type tree that reaches 15-20’. Large blooms put on a spectacular show on multi-trunk spreading branches. Blooms range from white to pink to purple. Best if planted in full sun. Plant away from radiant west or south heat where warm spring days may cause buds to develop too early only to be killed by a late freeze. They require regular deep watering in the summer months when leaves become tattered looking. It is best if their roots are protected with a layer of mulch to conserve water in the summer.

What are your favorite spring plants?

Send us an email or give us a call (405)367-3873, we would love to know what says “spring” to you!

Lorne Hall

Don’t let your Crape Myrtles fall victim to Crape Murder

Crape myrtles are a must have plant for nearly every landscape.  They are one of the longest blooming plants in our region, have attractive branching and bark, and provide great fall color. 

Crape Myrtles require some pruning every spring, but way too often Crape Myrtles are trimmed incorrectly, too severely, in late winter to early spring. 

Why do so many cut crapes back to 4-5’ every year?

Three Reasons for Bad Crape Myrtle Pruning

1. It is simply what everyone does to their Crape Myrtles in the spring. Have you ever wondered if it is the best practice?  It pains me to see so many beautiful Crapes cut back to ugly stubs every spring.  This practice ruins the natural form of the plant.  Southern Living termed the practice as “Crape Murder” decades ago, but yet it continues as the common practice.

2. The wrong variety was selected for the location and pruning is needed to control the size. Varieties include large tree types that grow 20’ or larger, medium varieties 12-18’, 6-12’ small varieties, and dwarf varieties.  When you select the right size for your planting area and are not forced to prune heavily to contain the plant, you will find you will have a healthier plant resulting in less disease and more blooms. 

3. They believe the myth that crape myrtles bloom more if they are severely pruned every year.  Flowers are produced on new growth every year even if they are not pruned. Actually, without heavy pruning you will have more branch area resulting in more summer blooms.

Crape Murder destroys the natural beauty of the plant. Mature crape myrtles have wonderful smooth and molten bark with graceful shapes. You will never experience this quality if you murder them every spring.

This Crape Myrtle fell victim to Crape Murder.

Best Pruning Tips

1. Know what your goal is before you start.  You can always prune more, but once you have pruned, you can never prune less. 

2. Remove last summer’s seed pods from the ends of the branches with hand pruners.

3. Remove all the smaller branches growing toward the center of the plant.  This will allow more air and light to reach the center of the plant which will increase blooms and reduce disease.

Great pruning… this Crape Myrtle didn’t fall victim to Crape Murder.

4. Make cuts back at the main branch and don’t leave stubs.

5. Remove any unwanted branches from the base of large shrub or tree from varieties.  Typically 5-7 trunks, free of any branches for the first quarter or third of the plant results in an attractive landscape plant.

First leaf buds on a pruned Crape Myrtle in late March.

Crape Myrtle Insect and Disease Issues

Scale – The last two years many Crape Myrtles in central Oklahoma developed bark scale.  This problem is relatively new to our area, but has been a nuisance in Texas for a few years.  The insect is invasive and results in a black mold along the branches and trunk.  Although the scale is rarely fatal to the plant, they are responsible for stunted growth, reduced flowering and loss in aesthetics.  Best control is achieved with a dormant oil in the spring followed by contact insecticide applications in late spring and early summer when pest populations increase.

Powdery Mildew – Best identified as a power-like dusting that develops in late spring and early summer on new leaves. It will result in reduced blooming and misshaped leaves when untreated. Warm days, cool nights, low wind circulation, and excessive moisture on the leaves are the culprits. Best practice is to plant Crape Myrtles in areas where they will receive plenty of light and air movement. If you notice powdery mildew, fungicide applications will be required to control the spread of the disease.

Aphids – Traditionally, they have been the major pest for Crape Myrtles. A few aphids are not a problem and do not require treatment. But, if populations increase they can cause damage. Application of a dormant oil in the late winter or spring is the best preventive step to control aphids and is recommended. If aphid populations become a problem during the season, repeated applications of an insecticide will be required to gain control.

Please let us know if we can help you with any Crape Myrtle issues — from plant selection, proper pruning, and care.

To insure you have a summer full of wonderful crape myrtle color, call (405)367-3873 to schedule a dormant oil application this week!

Lorne Hall

Why is a Spring Pre-Emergent So Important?

There are many reasons for weeds.  Weeds can be the result of poor growing conditions due to lack of moisture, weeds are typically worse when soil is compacted, and weeds are always more prevalent in thin turf.   

But, there is one very important thing that will make the biggest difference in the amount of weeds you have this year – the early spring pre-emergent lawn care application.

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape has been actively applying the early Spring Pre-Emergent for the past few weeks.  Our goal is to make sure all of our clients have taken the necessary step to prevent weeds this year.

We get involved in a lot of conversations about weeds and wanted to share with you a few of the most common questions.

Why is the early spring pre-emergent so critical? 

Summer annual weeds come up every year.  They germinate, grow, reseed, and die all in one year.  They can be booth grassy weeds and broadleaf weeds.  A quality pre-emergent herbicide will prevent many types of weeds.  But, the most aggressive annual grassy weed is crabgrass.  If you had a single crabgrass plant in your lawn last year, or your neighbor’s lawn had crabgrass, or your neighbor’s neighbors had crabgrass, there is a real strong chance you will have crabgrass this summer if you do not apply a pre-emergent to your lawn this spring. 

Why am I so sure you will have crabgrass if you skip the early spring pre-emergent application?

A single crabgrass plant produces thousands of seeds.  Because crabgrass is so prolific, even the nicest lawn in your neighborhood last summer can be full of crabgrass this summer if a pre-emergent is not applied this year.    

Mid summer lawn that did not have any pre-emergent in the spring.

Because crabgrass is fast growing and spreads quickly, it can have a dominant presence in your lawn by May without a spring pre-emergent.

What is the best timing of the first lawn care application?

With thousands of seeds laying dormant in the soil, as soon as conditions are right, germination will begin.  Germination of crabgrass occurs typically in mid March in central Oklahoma.  The key determination is soil temperature.  When soil temperatures consistently reach 55 degrees germination occurs.  This week, soil temperatures in the Oklahoma City area are in the mid-40s.  For the best prevention of summer annual weeds, your first lawn care treatment needs to be applied by the end of February.

Will one pre-emergent application per year be enough?

Crabgrass is one of the first annual weeds to germination each spring, but it does not germinate all at once.  Germination of seed will continue throughout the summer.  Other summer annual grassy weeds such as, goosegrass, foxtail, and sandbur will germinate soon after crabgrass.  Knotweed and spurge are summer annual broadleaf weeds that will germinate even later.  Summer annuals germinate from mid-March through early summer.  Most pre-emergent herbicides will not provide coverage the entire summer growing season.  The herbicide creates a blanket over the soil to prevent seeds from germinating. Rain, irrigation, foot traffic, all combine to break down the herbicide.  Therefore, full summer control is only obtainable if you repeat the application again in late spring: April-May, approximately 6-12 weeks after the first application.

Does a pre-emergent need to be applied as a liquid or can it be spread as a granular?

Pre-emergent herbicides come in both forms and for the best results the product needs to be applied evenly to the lawn to create a weed barrier.  With either product, watering the product into the root zone is important.  Always follow directions.  When doing it yourself never over apply a pre-emergent as it can stunt root growth. 

Why are pre-emergent sprays green?

Actually they are not.  Some lawn care companies add dye to their herbicide to use as a marking pattern.  We are not a proponent of using a dye.  Most pre-emergent herbicides have a light coloring that aid the lawn care professional in applying the product evenly to the surface.  We find dyes messy, they give the natural landscape an artificial look, and add an unnecessary chemical to your landscape.

Most importantly, if you have not applied a pre-emergent to your lawn yet this year, please do not delay. 

If you need assistance in making sure your lawn is weed free and healthy this season, please call Hall|Stewart Lawn + Landscape at (405)367-3873.

Lorne Hall